The Fire in My Heart: A Sequel
Dannoh here with another brony story! yup this is happening again. This occurs about a couple months or so after our last story. Chapter 1: Aqua's POV. Who's missed our favorite Colt? I trot out of my house and close the door behind me. I'm so excited, so nervous, so full of anticipation that I'm almost skipping on my hooves. I take care not to bump my saddlebags though, in worry of shaking the package. I nervously leviatate the bag in front of me and look at the small velvet box. I use a bit of magic and open the box on the small hinges delicately, and peak at the perfectly arranged band of gold, inlaid with a diamond. My ring, which I've had for weeks. The ring I hope to see on my fillyfriend's horn tonight. Mhmm, I plan to propose to Crystal Sunshine, my fillyfriend of 3 months tonight. We've known each other almost all our lives, and a couple months ago I found out she'd always sorta liked me. Things were going great, so I decided to take the chance and ask her to marry me. If I get to the park on time to meet her. There are ponies of all sorts everywhere bustling about. Finally, I'm walking around the streets and I run into Crystal. Literally. We pick each other up and smile. She gives me a kiss and leads me away. "So where you wanna go?" she says sweetly. "I was thinking somewhere fancy, somewhere nice ya know?" I say, trying to set up a romantic setting. "Nah I feel like something simple." she says. Odd, she always likes nice resturants. I shrug inside, I can ask her at the base of our tree that we always sit under. It would work out perfectly. As we talk, I notice something different about Crystal. She's strange, not entirely...here. Odd. *** We exit the resturant holding hooves. She seldom smiles. What's wrong with her? Does she plan to break- no. No Celestia PLEASE no. That can NOT happen. At one point, she stops me and hands me a...cupcake. Okay then. "I made this batch of cupcakes earlier this afternoon, would you mind trying them and seeing if they're any good?" she asks. Something is really strange about her. I oblige and eat the cupcake anyway. It's sweet but something about it is...odd. "So what do you wanna do know?" I ask, trying to lead her to the park. "Now?" she smiles, evily, "Now you go to sleep." And then I begin to pass out. My vision fades. And the last thing I see is Crystal, disappearing, replaced by the visage of a horribly hideous changeling. And then it all goes black. Chapter 2: Crystal's POV (OH NO THEY DIDN"T) I wait by my door, hoping Aqua would come soon. Honestly! Usually he's punctual, but the one date I anticipate most, he is late. For the past week, I had been dropping hints, dragging him to go shopping with me, and kept commenting on my favorite gemstones. "I do ''love sapphires, but diamonds, of course, are preferable." I hinted heavily, quite often. But he payed my obvious hints no heed. If you haven't figured it out already, I wanted him to propose. Nothing. And to top it off, he's late. I call up Rarity, who always is good at stallion advice. "Rare, what does it mean if a stallion is late?" I ask, skipping the goodbyes. "Is this about Aqua again? He's almost always on time!" she says. "Yes, but, what do you think it means?" "Well, I know for sure it means he ''won't ''be proposing tonight. Stallions are always jittery and absolutely on time when they are ready to propose. Early, even." I can hear sympathy in her tone, and my heart deflates. "Thanks..." I immediatly hang up, feeling crestfallen. Aqua and I HAD been dating for only 3 months, but we had something special! I had curled my mane, put on a lovely cream colored dress, and gotten a complete hooficure! Which is saying something, considering I garden on a regular basis. Ever since I started my small fresh produce stall, I was hoof deep in dirt, and had no time for fluffing my mane. For the 10th time, I check my watch. Already 7:00 P.M. When he distincly promised to pick me up at 6:30. Stallions. Anypony else wouldn't be that late! I waited quite a while longer, but at 8, I finally retreated to my couch, holding a mug of cider and Dragon Breath Chili, not even registering the searing hot flavor in the food. Miserabley, I stooped down so low to even watch re-runs of Ponies On Ice. When the 9th bell rung from the tower, I fell into a deep sleep. A loud BANG woke me up, and I groggily open my eyes to a shaft of sunlight from the open door. "W-w-wha.." I groan, rubbing my eyes with my hooves. "Crystal!" Somepony shook me. "Aqua is missing." Chapta 3! Aqua's POV. I bet yall are on the EDGE of your seats. I wake up on a cold black floor in a small cave. I raise my head off the ground, agh what a headache. What the heck happened? "What? Where...Where am I?" I say shakily to the empty, solid walls of the cave. There's no entrance OR exit. I'm trapped in a room of rock. Fear takes hold of me. "Well, unicorn, you are in the mount of the Changelings." A voice says behind me. I look, but nopony's there. The voice originates from nowhere. "You have been chosen to be used to grant us power." "What?!" I yell, trotting my hooves nervously. "Your horn is unusually powerful, Aquatic Fire." the voice says, "We shall seep away your powers and use them to assault Canterlot." "You can't do this!" I yell desparetly. How could this be happening to me? On the night that should've been perfect. and now I've been ponynapped. The voice sarcastically sympathizes, "My pegasus that brought you here, yes, found that ring of yours. How sad isn't it? That your perfect night was ruined. She would've said yes, you know. We've been watching both of you. Unfortunate that this draining process will kill you. It should take a few weeks, but your life force will drain with your magic. You will perish. You won't escape. Enjoy your last few days." I curl against the cold floor of the cave and sob. Utter despair seizes me. I have no escape. No hope. I'm going to die. Well aren't you just a little ray of sunshine. Chapter 4, coming at you in Crystal's perspective I gasp as Aqua's sister tells me what happened. "I woke up, and Aqua wasn't there. So I checked around, and he's no where to be found. I checked work, the library, the park, Donut Joe's, town hall... And nopony knows where he is!" Wind Feather cries miserably. I pat her on the wings, but I'm just as bad on the inside. Where in the name of Celestia could he be? "The post office?" I ask in desperation. "Nope." "Sweet Apple Acres?" "Nope." "Cloudsdale?" "He's a unicorn!" "Oh. RIght." In my frantic state of mind, nothing made sense anymore. Aqua was gone, and thats all i understood. Windy, as i call her, and I search Ponyville, to no avail. "Could he have gone to Canterlot?" I suggest. "I don't know... With the Grand Galloping Gala coming up, everypony is busy, and security in the city is tight. But we need to try." agrees Windy. The two of us hail a taxi pony, and we ride off to Canterlot. "If only we were going for the Gala..." sighs Windy. "Maybe Princess Celestia knows whats going on, or even Cadance." I guess. The Princesses know everything about the kingdom. I was a student at the same school Twilight Sparkle goes to, and they both know me well. "I'm partially related to them, so I think we'll be safe." Wind Feather and I ride into the city, which has been protected by several patroling pegasi. One I recognize. "Sharp Lance?" My second cousin, Lance, and I fell out of touch a while ago. It was a while after the fight... But I shook that thought away. Aqua might be in trouble. "Hey Crystal. What's up?" He leans casually against the gate. "My coltfriend is missing, and we're looking for him." I say shortly. "''Coltfriend?" ''gapes Lance. "Yes now move your rump so we can get in." Wind Feather flies over him and goes into the gate impatiently. "Well, if you find him, tell him we have to meet." Lance winks at me, and clears the way. The streets are packed, even in the early hours. Guards patrol every corner, and the shops are filled with customers. Windy and I stop at an espresso shop, and calm down with a shot. Using magic, I lift the cup to my lips when I see something that stops my heart. Chapter 5: I REMEMBERED! Aqua's POV I am consumed by fear. The cold floor leaches away my heat. And my life. And my magic. I sob most of the time, other times wishing I could be with Crystal, picking out a wedding dress. But then, an idea strikes me, if it leaches my magic first, then my life, I can prolong my life by strengthening my magic. Which requires happy thoughts and good feelings. I begin conjurring up good memories of my life. Most of which involve Crystal. Our first kiss, our first dance, our first date, ya da ya da ya da. The thoughts bring me warm feelings, hope. Maybe I might even be rescued in time. Unlikely, but atleast I have a chance. A small chance, but something is better than nothing. (This was super short. Deal with it) Chapter 6: Good for you Aqua. But it's Crystal time! Aqua. Walking down the street of Canterlot. "Aqua!" I cry, and run down the street. Aqua just smiles serenely, and brushes a strand of my mane out of my face. "What's wrong?" His voice is calm and measured, as if we were in Ponyville. "What's wrong is that I didn't know where you were all day! Windy and I were in a complete panic!" I sobbed, and he just smiled. "Well, I had hoped to give you these under better circumstances..." He whipped out two tickets. ''To the Grand Galloping Gala. I gasped as I saw the two golden tickets. "Aqua!" I squealed in delight. "How did you get them!" "Oh, a little pony helped me out." Despite the fact that he was holding tickets to the biggest party in Equestria, he spoke like we were discussing the weather. "Oh Aqua!" I threw my self at him, and I hugged him. But he made no attempt to hug me back. "Why don't you go find a dress for yourself." He suggests, "or have Rarity make you one?" To my surprise, he brushes off my hug. I look into his eyes, and for a second....no. His eyes are normal. No glint of Green whatsoever. "Are...are you okay Aqua?" I ask, worried. "Never better! Now, I must get some preparations out of the way..." He sidesteps Me and walks away into the crowd. I am left agape in the center of the street, awakened from my stupor only when a vendor shouts, "Corsages! Get your corsages for the Gala!" I stumble back to Windy dumbly, and tell her what happened. "Wait, so he didn't want to see me?!" She seethes. "He was a bit...distant." I confide. I decided against telling her about the imaginary green glint in his eyes. Windy eventually got over it- "We need to get you ready for the ball!"- and we started browsing the streets for the right dress. It had to be beautiful, elegant, and classy. I eventually forgot about Aqua's odd behavior, and went on with shopping. (I'm going to try to make a drawing of the dress later!) Chapter 7: Crystal's POV My dark blue and purple mane is waved, my dress smooth and soft. We got it at a Canterlot boutique, my sister and I. After the Aqua crisis was over, Wind feather went home. "Tiara or no tiara?" Pond Dancer asks, holding up a silver diadem. "No way." I shake my head, my mane coming out of it's orderly position. Pond freaks out, and frantically attacks it with mane spray. She smoothes my dress with her hooves, and flies at all angles to check it out. "Beautiful!" She happily flies away, and I see Aqua coming. "Aqua!" He looks like a gentlepony, wearing his suit and tie. Without a hello, and abruptly takes me into the awaiting carriage. "We might stay out all night." He tells me, a pained smile on his face. His features are contorted oddly, as if he's containing another emotion. The drivers are familiar looking, but I can't put my hoof on it. They smile eerily, but Aqua Pulls me into the carriage before I can have a good look. We drive towards Canterlot, and I see spotlights in the sky. Few ponies are going in the same direction as us- most Ponyville ponies aren't invited. I lean on Aqua, and close my eyes. The gentle clip, clop of the driving ponies is serene. I smell something sweet and prickly. The scent appears to come from Aqua's rose on his suit lapel. When I try to pull away from the overpowering scent, Aqua pulls me closer. My eyelids grow drowsy, and I keep them open just long enough to see us moving farther, and farther, and farther from the city of Canterlot. "Don't worry, well get there." Aqua assures me, but an evil smile is painted on his lips, and his eyes flash green. "Aqu-" I stay open just long enough to see what was once my love. Turning into a skeletal, black figure, eyes fixed on me hungrily. A changeling. Chapter 8 or something or other. Aqua's POV I fall asleep during my favorite memory of Crystal and I, the first day we met. The memory works its way into my dream, so I relive the experience peacefully. We were so young when we met, in school. We were all learning what our special abilities are. We didn't even have our cutie marks. I had instantly mastered calming down people and resonating happiness. Crystal, not so much. She was really struggling, and I went to her when she starting crying. "What's wrong?" I said quietly. "I..I don't have a special ability!" she said to me, sobbing hard. "Hey, we all have special abilities, uh, what's your name?" I say, slowly calming her down with some magic. "I...I guess so ,and it's Crystal," she says, smiling up at me. At that moment, her horn begins glowing, and a small flower pops up at our hooves. Her face glows with pride immediately. "Oh wow! Look at that! Thank you so much! Uh, what's your name?" Crystal says to me. "I'm Aquatic Fire, please, call me Aqua." My dream is shattered by a thump. I shake my head to wake myself up. Before me, shivering in the middle of the floor, sits Crystal. I snap awake instantly. I rush to her heaving side and nuzzle her awake. "Crystal? Crystal? Oh gosh Crystal! Wake up please!" Her eyes open a bit and gaze up at me. "A-Aqua?" she croaks, barely audible. I take her in a silent hug. "Why is this happening to us?" she sobs into my mane. "I don't know Crystal, It's gonna be okay though. It's all gonna be okay." I say to her. Even though I know it won't. I figure that with such little time left, I have to ask her. "Crystal?" I say, pulling away and looking her in the eyes. "Y-yes Aqua?" she chokes, holding back more tears. The dress she was wearing was beatiful, but now it's in tatters. I stare into her amazingly clear blue eyes. And mutter the words that I would never get to act upon. "Crystal Sunshine, Will you marry me?" Chapter 9: Crystal's POV Foggy swirls cloud my eyesight, but I feel cold and clammy. The room I'm in has cold stone floors that chill me from my hooves to my horn. I feel the light silk of my dress, and hear a slow drip from above. "Cryyyyssstal. Wwwaaakkee up." Words jumble and slur in my mind, but something brings me back to Equestria. "Aqua?" His beautiful face stares at me, eyes full of concern. "What's happened to us?" He pulls me into a tender embrace, and I feel the softness of his mane. "I don't know, but were going to be okay." He murmurs gently, as I sob quietly. The dark cold floors sap at my strength, and I feel dizzier than ever. All of my energy seemed to sap away, but the warmth of Aqua's mane strengthened me. I stared into his caring eyes. "Crystal Sunshine, will you marry me?" He whispers. I gasp, and dissolve into silent tears. I nod my head ever so slightly, but he understands. He holds me tight and firm, and I rest in his arms. "If we make it out of here alive, that's the first thing I want to do." I say the words softly and probably mispronounced half of them, but he understands. Aqua just pulls me close, and we huddle together for warmth. The black cave stretches for who knows how far, with deadly looking stalactites and stalagmites coming every which way. "Lets try to find someway around..." Aqua suggests weakly, and we cling to each other for support. We stand up, and wobble a little, but regain our balance. We let go of each other, and I immediately miss his warmth. I try to step forward, but I feel a sudden depletion of energy. "Wha-" I gasp as a wave of exhaustion passes over me. Aqua appears to be fainting too, and I grab onto him again. Suddenly, the exhaustion passes. "Oh, you won't be going anywhere." An eerie voice echoes through the halls, followed by a high pitched cackle. And the changelings came to eat. Chapter nopony cares its ACTION TIME! Aqua's POV I force Crystal behind me protectively, but We both are extremely tired for no reason. The changelings stalk forward slowly, taunting us. Me and Crystal fall to the ground. I look over at her, a fitting last sight for my eyes. I kiss her one last time and prepare to die. But it doesn't come. The changelings seem forced back by an invisible wall of sorts. I look up. Crystal is summoning some kind of force field, like the one surrounding Canterlot, but protecting us. I look at her astoundingly. Somehow, shes brought up a force field with what little magic she has left. That effort could kill her. Quicker than changelings could. Then I realize something. If this is like the Canterlot field, than no magic can penetrate it. And that means the power draining powers in this cave theoretically be locked out. Then I might have a bit of magic left in me too. "Crystal, if this doesn't work.."I choke out, "I love you." I concentrate on home. On me and Crystal sitting at the kitchen table. Being happy and free. Freedom. I channel all of my magic, which dips heavily into my life force. It's a difficult spell, one I've never had to use. The force field begins to fail. The Changelings pound on it, small portions begin to break apart and crack. I concentrate harder. And harder. And harder. Then everything goes black. And every other color. Then me and Crystal are in my kitchen. On the ceiling. We fall and land on the table with a loud WHOOMP. "Ow." we both say, climbing down off the table. We run and embrace each other. Freedom. "I love you so much Aqua," she says into my mane. "And I'm never letting you out of my sight again." I lean in and give her a quick kiss. "Windy and Pond are going to be tripping about us, we should go find them." We walk out the door and are met with Windy and Pond both on the porch. They smile at us evily. Why do they seem so odd? They grin hugely in unison, and me and Crystal both see it, A glint of green in both their eyes. The two changelings leap at us. Chapter 11: Crystal's POV I screech as the two ponies transform into the ghastly changelings, black, skeletal creatures. "Aqua!" We frantically touch horns, and we share energy. Our horns begin to glow, spitting purple, white, and pink sparks. I feel a surge of power, strengthened by Aqua. My eyes close in focus, and I recall the protection bubble spell. A small purple bubble forms Around us, and I immediately feel drained. Aqua looks at me, nods, and I again begin to charge energy. My horn is ready to blast the changelings out of Equestria, when I am stopped by a sight. Queen Chrysalis herself flies down, holding two creatures. "Pond! Windy!" Cries Aqua, and he tries to lunge at them. I pull him back- the bubble protects us from outer forces, but anything inside can go out. "Aqua! Crystal!" Wind Feather and Pond Dancer struggle against their captors, but the changelings smile eerily at each other, at ease. "Yes, if you struggle, you'll end up hurting these pretties." Chrysalis stroked Pond, who promptly lashed out at the queen. "Tch tch, that is NOT how we act." "Don't-" I scream, but it's too late. The changeling leader touched her dilapidated horn to a crying Pond, and the unicorn immediately froze. Tears formed in her eyes, and I saw all the agony she felt in that gaze. But her body was frozen. Chrysalis's eyes glowed green, her lips twisted in wry delight. "Yes, any trouble from you two will reflect badly on these poor souls." clucked Chrysalis with false sympathy. "Now do we understand what's on the line?" I bare my teeth in indifference, the bubble still resolutely standing, despite the efforts of several changelings. But the magic made me weaker, and my hooves started to shake. "We both know you can't hold that up much longer," Chrysalis reminded, and released Pond. Pond fell to the ground, body quivering in a lifeless way. "NO! POND!" I scream, and this time, Aqua holds me back. "Smart pony, Aqua," Chrysalis leered knowingly, "Any trouble from you two will only result in more pain for your dear sisters." Teasingly, she inched closer to Wind Feather, whose light blue coat was a ghostly white from shock. "End the spell!" Hissed a nearby changeling, again bumping the incessant shield. "Yes! End it!" Several other changelings took up a chant. "End the spell. End the spell." They chanted, their raspy voices penetrating my ears. "Please do," hissed Chrysalis, gazing at us with luminous green eyes, "It will make their lives so much better." Windy quaked faintly, but held her ground defiantly. Pond Dancer lay on the ground, her head barely moving. A tear plays across my eyes- she would hate all the dirt getting in her glossy pink mane. "Fine. You win." I end the spell, and Aqua hangs his head next to me, both of s admitting defeat. "Gooood," purred Chrysalis. "Now for why I want you two..." "To feed off of us?" I ask bitterly. "No....I understand that you two have a certain amount of....influence. Now I need you for a special purpose...take them to the lair again. Under observation, this time." Aqua and I were carried away, our hooves separated by the leering changelings, but our hearts still beating as one. Chapter holy CRAP it's been way too long since I've wrote one of these. Aqua's POV The guards throw us back into our cave and close the entrance behind us. We're trapped again, and there's no chance of escape. What did Chryalsis mean when she said "A special purpose"? I huddle in the corner, and Crystal sits next to me. I wrap my hooves around her shoulders to comfort her. She cries softly into my mane. I pull away and look into her eyes. "Crystal, look at me, We're going to be okay." I say, emphasizing every word. "No we're not Aqua! If we escape, which we CAN'T, then they'll kill our sisters!" she sobs. I admit she got me there. There. There was no hope. I have no more words to say. "Crystal, we are NOT dying in here. We're getting out of here. We'll all be okay. All of us." I say, filling my words with false magical happiness and lies. My words have no effect on her. "Aqua, as much as I want to believe you, I just can't. There's no hope of escape. We're under watch, there are guards right outside the door which we can't even open!" she says, her sobs returning. I pull her closer and hold her tight for a few minutes. We may not escape, but as long as we're together, It's okay. Maybe I might not get to marry her, maybe I might not live out my full life. A few last moments of happiness, no matter how despairing, are enough to let me leave this world in peace. Just then the door slides open. In the entrance stands Chryalsis herself. "Ah, here you are, now," she says menacingly, "It is time for us to begin. Come along." Chapter 13: Yay it's a lucky number! Crystal's POV The changeling guards escorted us into the throne room. Amethyst lamps hung eerily from the stone ceiling, emitting a purple glow in the room. Aqua and I hold hooves, not knowing what would happen next. The ghostly queen herself sat at an obsidian throne, surveying us with haughty eyes. "Hello, ponies." She sniffed arrogantly, pride evident in her eyes. I flinched as a change ling thrust my back forward, forcing me into an ungainly bow. Chrysalis just smiled humorlessly, and the guards brought us forward. "Hello, Queen Chrysalis." I spit through gritted teeth. I stress the word "Queen," assuring her I thought rocks were as royal as her. Aqua indignantly remained quiet, but anger glowed in his eyes. "You might wonder why I want...such ponies as yourselves. Well I know that you have certain connections." She grinned eerily, and I knew this was going to be bad. Her eyes had a hungry look- for power. "Well?" Aqua growled. "I know, dear Aqua, that you are in charge of Ponyville. And you, sweet Crystal, were a former student at Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, and have several important connections in Canterlot." Chrysalis explained. I was quiet, but silently impressed. The queen did her research. "Of course, you two also have bountiful love for my changelings to feed on, but that'd be a waste to use up such important ponies. So I made a plan.." The way she said plan scared me. It was with authority, certainty- and I knew this was just a stepping stone. "Whatever you're planning, well never help you." I spit, and she only laugh quietly. The sound reverberates throughout the room, and the changelings join the jeer. "I shall remind you two that I possess leverage." With the flop of her hooves, a pair of changelings use their skeletal horns to summon something. I see pooling green magic in the ceiling, and from it comes two pale blobs. I immediately recognize them as pods, a form of protection- and imprisonment. The ponies inside are none other than Pond Dancer and Wind Feather. Their eyes are lulled into a deep slumber, and their bodies are wrapped tightly in the green wrapper. "Pond! Windy!" I cry. I remember only an hour ago, watching Pond suffer from Chrysalis's evil magic. I couldn't let that happen again. "Now you see Where we stand. Chrysalis smiles cooly, "So choose. Your siblings can die, or you can help me take over Equestra." Chapter I don't know. Aqua's POV. And I haz no planz. This is going to get....interesting. I feel an angry tear streak down my face. I can betray millions. Or I can watch my family die. As would Crystal. I gaze over at Crystal, who looks completely dumbfounded. She meets my eyes. We both come to a realization: We can't do this. "I...I would never help you, queen Chrysalis, but to save my sister. I will." I say, angry rising inside me. Wind meets my eyes and looks at me pleadingly. She mouths: Don't do this. Please, don't worry about me. "I will help you." Crystal says next to me. Tears run down her face. Chrysalis smiles evily at us. "Good, Guards! Show them how they will assist us. Prepare the changelings for war! Tonight, we march on Canterlot!" chapter 15: Crystal's POV The changelings surround us, and force us towards Ponyville. "One wrong move, ponies, and you're little friends get it." Chrysalis grins evilly. "Whatever you say, Queen Chrysalis." Aqua says through gritted teeth. I can tell by the way he paws at the ground that he wants nothing more than to give her a face full of his hoof. "Aqua, whatever we do, lets be sure we'll do it together, okay?" I breathe into his ear, his unkempt mane tickling my face gently. "Forever and always." He whispers back, and I throw my hooves around his neck. "I love you." We say in unison. The changelings laugh at us as tears pour down my cheeks. I bury My face into Aqua's mane and pretend its another date. But the constant raspy voices of the changelings stop me. "Crystal, were going to Make it through this. Promise me that you'll trust me?" Aqua whispers. I nod my head wearily. "I trust you Aqua." I say tiredly. "With all my heart." "I have a plan. But I need you to trust me." "I said I would." "Even if I tell you to leave me and save yourself?" And awkward silence meditates between us, and I can't meet Aqua's eyes. He stops, only to be hit by another changeling. "Not then." I choke out. "It's not worth being saved if I still can't be with you." He nuzzles me as I sniff. "Just trust me." Chapter. Oh gosh, HOW can I do that last chapter justice? Thanks A LOT for making me feel insignificant nikki. Aqua's POV She stares in me in awe as I finish telling her my plan. "Aqua, you'll die!" she whispers to me as we march. We're getting way to close to Ponyville. I'm running out of time. In more ways than one. I kiss her softly, one last time. "I love you Crystal. That's why I have to let you go. I am not letting you die. This is gonna work, I promise." She looks at me pleadingly, but my heart is set. I stop marching immediately. Chrysalis glares at me. Changelings hit me. I get pushed by one. "Keep moving!" One yells. "Stop sulking, we've got a world to take over!" Screams another. I turn and punch one of the changelings in the face. I've never been strong, but all my anger goes into the punch. The changelings crowd me and yell. "NOW!" I yell at Crystal. She understands. Crystal runs toward Chrysalis, who is with our sisters. I charge almost every bit of my energy, magic energy and life energy, into a blast of calm. I fire a beam at Chrysalis first, who stumbles and falls back. Crystal grabs Wind and Pond, and in a flash of light, they disappear. Thank Celestia. They're safe. I blast my entire reserves of calm into every changeling there. They all collapse. When they awake, if ever, they would have no memory of these events. I feel drained out. All of my energy went into this spell. But I have to escape. If there is a single glimmer of chance of my survival, I have to get away before the changelings awake. I summon one last bit of energy, a happy thought of the last kiss I shared with Crystal, and channel it. I concentrate on anywhere safe, somewhere safe, where nopony could hurt me. And the world turns black and I feel myself teleporting. I emerge in a place that I don't remember all the details of. But I do know that I just used more magic than anypony has ever survived. All of my energy, all of it, no more happy thoughts to boost me, is gone. I stumble a few steps, and then I collapse. Aqua's POV again. Yeah. So. yep. My eyelids flutter open, I have no idea how long it is later. Around me stand a group of worried faces, all gazing down at me. Among them, I notice some doctors, Princess Celestia herself, and Crystal. After a few seconds I get my bearings. I'm in a hospital, hooked up to numerous machines. The clock reads 1 AM. I try to sit up but instantly feel light-headed. I drop back to the cold table I'm laying on. Crystal rushes forward, pushing aside a couple of doctors. They grumble a bit but keep their distance. "Oh my gosh Aqua!" she cries, hugging me tight, like a lifeline, "We were so worried! You were out for a week and...I thought you...I couldn't bear it if..." She doesn't finish before breaking down again. I slowly manage to wrap my hooves around her neck. When I speak, my voice is hoarse (No pun intended). "Crystal, it's okay. I'm here. We're gonna be okay." She continues to sob into my shoulder. Celestia approaches my bedside quietly. She comfortingly leads Crystal to a chair and speaks to me. "Aqua, I believe it is, I don't mean to alarm you, but for the last week, you have been on the brink of being listed as clinically, dead." Horror races through me. Dead? For a week?! How! "But, how am I alive?" "A miracle really." Celestia says, "There was nothing left. Until Crystal found you in the Ponyville Park. She used her own magic to save you. Very brave, considering how spent she already was. You will go on to recover, the doctors tell me, but you won't be in great shape for at least a month or so." I smile. That's the best news I've ever gotten. "And the changelings?" I ask tentively. "I have dispatched some of the Royal guard. The Changelings will be captured and tried." Celestia reports. "Good. And, is everypony okay?" I say, noticing that Pond and Windy aren't there. "Your sisters? They are fine, Crystal led them away quickly enough." "My sister''s?'' Oh Pond and I aren't related, she's Crystal's sister." I say. Then I want to slap myself. Sometime soon, Pond is going to be my sister. I glance over at Crystal. She beams at me, as if remembering the wedding plans. "Princess, I'd like to thank you and the doctors, but may me and Crystal have some time alone please?" I question, glancing at the Alicorn. "Of course, take as long as you like." Celestia says. She smiles knowingly at Crystal, as if sharing an old joke. Then she and the doctors trot out. Crystal dashes over and hugs me again. This time it's me who's crying. I run my hooves through her mane. Gosh it was amazing to know we'd made it. We would make it, we would be married. Together. Forever. The Last Date: Crystal's POV I took a carriage to the park for our last date. A tear played across my eye, and I felt one slide down my cheek, landing on my hoof. Pond smiles at me sadly, but I was too scared to say anything. Slowly, I walked towards the carriage. I looked back at my house. This would be the last time. In the carriage, I closed my eyes. I was going to a dance with all my friends, and Aqua. Our last date. Our last date. I repeated my mantra, and I felt my hoof being squeezed. I opened my closed eyes, and Pond Dancer held my hoof. All of our friends would be at the dance. Pond, Windy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, The Cakes, even SkyBlue accompanied by her colt friend. "It'll go fine." Pond assures me, and the carriage stops. I look out, and see the park sunny and beautiful. A beautiful gazebo decked out in flowers awaits us. Aqua stands in the gazebo looking handsome as ever. Pond walks to the entrance of the gazebo, and waits. Ponies line the path, watching me. I step my hoof out of the carriage, and take a deep breath. Slowly, I trot to the gazebo, hearing soft violin music. Another pony waited in the gazebo, but I only had eyes for Aqua. When i ascended into the gazebo, I heard the pony speaking, but all I could do was to stare into Aqua's eyes and mentally tell him I love him. The pony stops speaking, and Aqua and I say something, one after another. Words that I will never forget, from our last date. He leans and kisses me, and I hear applause. "I pronounce you mare and stallion." The pony finishes, and we break away from our kiss. The last date. The celebration began. I danced, and I danced, and I danced with my new husbanpony, and kissed him again and again. Princess Celestia blessed us with a beautiful rainbow across the ceremony, and Luna with a vibrant blue moon that night. Aqua and I stood at the gazebo for the first dance. "Remember when you found me? How did you know where to look?" Aqua whispered as we swayed with the music. "I knew you would be there." I told him softly. "How?" "Because that's where it all started." Chapter, THE LAST ONE! Aqua's POV (A couple months or something after the wedding.) It's been 5 months since Crystal and I were married. It's a nice winter night, just as the cold is setting in. Crystal and I curl up together on the couch, sipping hot cocoa and watching TV. I look Crystal in the eyes and smile. We've been in sort of a state of euphoria the past months, as we are still newly-weds, sort of. I kiss her lightly on the cheek. She wraps her hooves around my neck and kisses me for a minute or two, when we hear knocking at the door. "Who the heck could that be?" Crystal says to me. "I don't know, Be right back, don't miss me too much!" I laugh. She playfully pushes me off the couch. I trot over and open the door for whoever is there. And there's nopony there. Argh, probably the colts, laughing in the bushes somewhere now. I step out and almost knock the basket flying off the porch. "What in the-" I say, leaning down to inspect the package. I gasp and my eyes widen. "Crystal! You should see this!" Crystal hops off the couch and runs to me. "What is it?" she says worriedly. I wordlessly gesture to the basket in front of us. Inside rests a small bundle. Crystal takes a closer look and yelps. In the basket, is a young pony, a colt or filly. Our colt or filly. THE END! For nowwwww. Category:Fan fiction Category:Romance Category:Collaboration